Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

NOTE: I have an account on PotterMore! I was totally sorted in Gryffindor even while my heart screams Slytherin! LOL. But I'll wear my colors proudly! Go Lions! (SasunaruTLA was sorted into Hufflepuff!) HehHehHeh.

And I'm not very thrilled with this chapter- so consider it as important as a filler. (I'll have a more informative segment about the Inheritance in a later chapter.) But I won't be able to write for the next three days on account of a work-related trip but, I wanted to post at least one thing before I left.

May Lose Everything

Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Infirmary...

"Poppy, are you absolutely certain?" Severus found himself asking yet again. When he had come back to the Infirmary with the cure he had spent hours searching for, he had found William fast asleep and completely cured- a quick diagnostics spell had told him that.

"Severus, I'm quite certain," Poppy chuckled. "Why are you so worried? He'c completely fine. You should be thrilled!"

"Yes, yes. But how?" Severus asked. He pulled his wand back out and ran another diagnostics spell. "Perfect," he sighed running a hand through his rather unruly hair. Hours and hours of missed sleep were beginning to take their toll on the Potions Master.

"Does it really matter, Severus?" Poppy sighed as she patted his back. "I'll be back in my office if you need me." She stopped just outside her door and turned back to her colleague, "I suggest that you get some rest. You can interrogate William when he wakes up."

"Don't question it, she says. Smile, Severus, the world is full of rainbows. Get some rest," Severus muttered with a roll of his eyes. "I'm a grown bloody man!" he called loudly enough for Poppy to hear from the office.

"Go to sleep, you grouch!" Poppy called sternly. "Or I'll hex you into oblivion!"

"Fine!" Severus snapped. He heard the old Medi-witch chuckle from her office as he ran another quick diagnostics test. "Send for me as soon as he wakes up!"

"Sleep!"

"I'm going!" The entire way down to the dungeons Severus complained about insufferable old hags while William's sudden recovery still remained at the forefront of his mind.

Later that Day: Office of the Headmaster...

"I am very glad that you've accepted the new role as professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts," said the portrait of Phillip Snodgrass- youngest Headmaster in Hogwarts' history- as Charlie sat across form Dumbledore's empty desk with several pieces of parchment spread out over the desk's contents. The Headmaster had asked him to take care of the necessary paperwork while he finished up some errands.

"Yes, yes!" came the voice of Headmistress Dorothea Mortenburger- the only Headmistress in the world that was half-Veela. Even at such an old age she was breathtakingly beautiful. "We've never had such a cutie as a Professor! Unless we count old Severus!" She and Phillip were the only two Headmasters who had chosen to stay at Hogwarts while Dumbledore was away- someone had to keep the castle safe. The other portraits chose to spend the tiny break visiting their other frames in the Ministry and old family homes.

"Professor Snape?" Charlie asked incredulously. "A cutie?"

"But of course!" Dorothea exclaimed. "That black hair, those cool eyes... Oh boy, if I were still alive! Let me tell you-"

"Dorothea!" Phillip exclaimed. "Don't scare away our new professor before classes start!" He looked over at Charlie. "Excuse her, Professor."

"No worries," Charlie laughed as he signed his last piece of parchment. "Now, you both seem very interesting so I'm sure you'll be able to help me out. Can you tell me what there is to do while there are no students and an empty castle?"

"Its not empty," Dorothea said with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't Albus tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Charlie asked puzzled. Dumdledore had only told him the password to his office with instructions to fill out a few papers and choose a room in the teachers' tower.

"Professor Snape has come back early, and Madam Pomprey is in the Infirmary with some patients," Phillip answered. A sense of dread settled in Charlie's stomach. He had a strong feeling that he knew exactly who the Medi-witch was attending to.

"He failed to mention that," Charlie said as he placed his papers on Dumbledore's desk. "I'm going to the Infirmary."

"See you later!" Dorothea called after him. "I'm going to like that one, I can tell!" She walked over to Phillip's portrait, finally taking in her partner's appearance. "Phillip- for goodness sake! Take off that blasted disguise!"

"Alright, calm yourself, Dorothea," Phillip sighed as he removed the long grey beard and square glasses he usually wore around new company. With a muttered incantation the wrinkles and liver spots he had had vanished.

"I am calm, Phillip," Dorothea said haughtily as she took the only seat in the portrait. "Why do in insist on wearing that get-up every time we have guests? You're the one that's probably scared him off. Had you shown him this face, he may have decided to come back!" she lectured as she ran an aged, yet delicate hand through Phillip's chocolate brown hair. His golden eyes gazed at her in mild annoyance, but that was how their relationship went- she would nag him like the mother hen she was, and he would chose to ignore her words of wisdom.

Phillip looked back out of the portrait and to the door of the office. "You know, he's nothing like his brothers." He could remember each of the Weasley siblings like it was yesterday since they had all spent ample time in that very office. All except Charlie, who had been well-behaved and smart- good enough to be an exceptional student, but average enough to remain low-key. Bill had been the Quidditch star, Percy had been the genius Head Boy, the twins were the trouble-making inventors, and Ron was friends with Harry Potter, occasionally warranting a trip to see Dumbledore. Charlie had always just been Charlie.

"He's definitely the cutest!" Dorothea sighed dreamily. "Shame he wasn't around five-hundred years ago!" she pouted. "I might've settled down for that one!"

"How you ever became Headmistress is a mystery! You're insufferable," Phillip laughed. "Get out of my portrait!" he ordered teasingly while pushing his friend away without real conviction.

DrarryTLA

"How long has he been asleep?" Was the first thing Harry heard when he woke up. He must have gone through hell on his birthday for him to keep falling into unconsciousness. Thankfully, the voice was a familiar one.

"Charlie?" he asked around his dry mouth.

"Hey, little brother," Charlie chuckled as he ruffled Harry's already messed up bed hair. "Drink this," he said holding out a glass of water. Harry barely had time to thank the red-head before he was grilling Madam Pompfrey again. "What's happened? Does the Order know?"

"Harry just received his Inheritance," Poppy smiled reassuringly. "And I'm sure Albus has informed the Order."

"Madam Pompfrey, do you really think this ward would be so barren if Professor Dumbledore had told everyone that Harry was in the Infirmary?"

"Well I suppose you're right," Poppy said her smile faltering for the briefest of seconds. "However, an Inheritance is not such a bad thing. Albus did not want to worry anyone."

"What did he Inherit?" Charlie asked next.

"We haven't been able to figure that out yet," Poppy frowned.

"I have," called a voice Charlie had never heard before. He looked around and finally noticed that the bed next to Harry's was also occupied- by Draco Malfoy and a Veela! Charlied knew those metallic eyes and ethereal good looks anywhere. "He's Inherited the Elder Elf gene." Poppy gasped and William nodded. "I could not believe it either, but there is no other explanation for what he did last night. The power was strong enough to bathe the entire room in light."

"He healed you," Poppy stated with a grim look in her usually jovial eyes.

"And what's so bad about being an Elder Elf?" Charlie asked feeling completely lost.

"Well, the last of the Elder Elves died out seven-hundred years ago," Poppy said.

"Harry is now the only one..."

"How is that possible?" Harry asked finally speaking up. "The last thing I remember about last night was Snape putting me to sleep again."

"Well, obviously your body is still not adjusted to your Inheritance," Madam Pompfrey said waving her wand over his body. "But when you saw William in need, your Elven blood must have taken over for you to heal him. The Elder Elves were the most compassionate and powerful magical beings that ever lived."

"Then why am I the only one left?" Harry asked in defeat.

"You never pay attention in History of Magic, do you?" came the tired drawl of Draco as he finally sat up next to William. It seemed that he had been awake and listening the whole time. He didn't wait for a response because he knew the answer. "Thought not," he smiled. "But if you had tuned in during fourth year you would have caught the lesson on the Great Elven War." He shook his head sadly and continued, "Great because of its one-hundred year duration. Elven because it was a war between the two oldest elven races: the Elder Elves and the Baem, Dark Elves."

When Draco finished his little story, he allowed Harry time to think about what he had just been told. After a few moments Draco stood from his place next to William and walked over to Harry's bed. He pulled the confused Gryffindor into a tight embrace. "Thanks for saving him for me, Harry."

Harry gave the blonde's back a reassuring pat and awkwardly hugged back. Charlie, William, and Poppy all laughed at the scene until Draco pulled away from Harry and sent them an icy glare.

"Sorry, Malfoy," Charlie laughed ruffling his blonde hair when he walked past to get back to William. "Harry just looked so baffled!" The grinning red-head turned to Harry next. "Well, now that I've seen to your well-being, I'm gonna get settled in and do some exploring." He waved over his shoulder and nodded a goodbye to Madam Pompfrey. "Madam Pompf-"

"Hey, wait!" Harry called. Charlie stopped and turned back around. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, yeah!" Charlied smiled with an embarrassed blush. "I suppose you would be curious." He straightened his robes and dusted off his shoulder, standing in a confident pose. "Say 'hello' to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Next chapter will have a time jump- probably to the Welcome Feast... Be prepared for anything! :D